Better Evaluating, Treating Psychological Effects of War

Military mental health was a top priority for doctors at last week's APA Annual Meeting. Elspeth C. Ritchie, M.D., M.P.H., and Marvin A. Oleshansky, M.D., (back) chaired a symposium on Evaluating and Treating the Effects of War at the American Psychiatric Association 164th Annual Meeting. Also presenting were CPT Michelle Hornbaker, M.D.; John C. Bradley, M.D.; Brett Schneider, M.D., and Scott C. Moran, M.D. Research about PTSD, the impact of deployment on families, and treatment of serious mental illnesses were among many topics addressed.

Psychiatric Symptoms Prior to Deployment Predict Risk of New Onset PTSD in a Cohort of National Guard Troops

A poster presented in the final poster session of the APA's 164th Annual Meeting in Honolulu discussed research that looked at whether individual symptoms associated with PTSD could be predictors of whether full PTSD would develop. Predeployment depression and alcohol dependence were not associated with increased risk of PTSD after deployment but risk was significantly elevated in the case of somatization. Subclinical symptoms of PTSD and somatization assessed prior to military deployment appear to be antecedent risk factors for new onset PTSD. Despite the fact that depression and alcohol dependence are frequently comorbid with PTSD neither acted as a risk factor in this study. The presence of multiple, nonspecific ailments, however, consistent with a somatization‑like process, was associated with increased vulnerability.

Children of Deployed Parents More Likely to Experience Psychiatric Hospitalization

Children of military service members are more likely to be hospitalized for a psychiatric condition when a parent has been deployed, according to a new study presented at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting.

The research was scheduled for presentation in a press briefing Monday, May 16, at the 164th American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, which is in Honolulu May 14-18

Researchers looked at records for nearly 380,000 children ages 9 to 17 years of active duty military personnel. The children’s data was linked to the parent’s deployment records.

The odds of psychiatric hospitalization increased by 10 percent among children age 9 to 17 years when a military parent was deployed, according to the study. The odds of hospitalization increased with increasing length of a parent’s deployment.

Details of this study, along with five other new research studies, will be presented at a press briefing from the APA Annual Meeting. Members of the media can attend in Room 307 of the Hawaii Convention Center at 8 am Hawaii time, Monday, May 16, or participate online at 11 AM PDT/2 pm EDT by registering at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/341505819.

The American Psychiatric Association is a national medical specialty society whose physician members specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and research of mental illnesses, including substance use disorders. Visit the APA at http://www.psych.org/ and http://www.healthyminds.org/.